The Politics of Literacy

19th Century Education
This time in education is also called the Common School Period. During this period, public schools became available to the common people. Education was no longer solely for the rich or confined to the home. This was the result of school reformers Horace Mann and Henry Barnard. Public schools were free to everyone and financed using public funds. Since this financing came from public money, schools became accountable to local school boards and State governments. Compulsory attendance came into effect in 1918 for elementary age children. There were several arguments supporting public schools; they were used to “Americanize” immigrants and the more education the public received the more productive they became. The Jim Crow Act kept schools segregated.

Elementary schools began using the McGuffey reader. This was a book written by Reverend William Holmes McGuffey. The book included fifty-five lessons and modeled good citizenship. The McGuffey reader is claimed to have had an influence on literary tastes in the United States more the any other book except for the Bible.

Public and Comprehensive High Schools also opened during this time period. Public high schools focused on college preparatory classes. The comprehensive high school provided students with options public land for agricultural and mechanical colleges. The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 appropriated public lands to support agricultural and mechanical colleges.

There were several women of importance during this period of education; Emma Willard, Catherine Beecher, Mary Lyon. These women made significant contributions to the higher education of women by forming seminaries and colleges for women.